Vacuum penile erection devices for the treatment of impotence that assist the user in attaining a penile erection are well known in the art. Typically, such vacuum devices may comprise a hollow tubular member having an opening in communication with a cavity adapted to receive the penis. In addition, the tubular member may be in operative communication with a manual vacuum generating means, such as a flexible bulb or piston, for generating a vacuum inside the tubular member when the user repeatedly actuates the bulb or piston. A sleeve member may be disposed inside the tubular member that is adapted to engage the penis in order to maintain a sufficient level of vacuum between the penis and the tubular member during operation of the vacuum device. In addition, the sleeve member of the prior art may be configured as a smooth elastic sleeve member or ring made of a flexible material that the penis engages in order to maintain a sufficient vacuum inside the vacuum device during operation.
However, a sleeve member of the prior art adapted to engage the penis in such vacuum devices is designed to only maintain a sufficient degree of vacuum inside the device during operation and lack any means for simultaneously providing a massaging effect to the penis in order to facilitate the attainment of an erection by the user. Moreover, it may be desirable to provide a vacuum device that is easily disassembled for storage.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a vacuum device that includes a removable sleeve member adapted to maintain a sufficient degree of vacuum when engaged with the penis, while also providing a massaging effect to the penis that facilitates the attainment of an erection by the user. There is a further need in the art for a vacuum device that is easily assembled and disassembled.